


a (not) feeble ninja

by Revantio



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, But really he's just bitter i swear, Chronic Illness, Gen, Knucklehead Unexpected Ill Ninja Naruto, Naruto also swore a lot, Naruto complains a lot, Sandaime's holy patience, Warning for his language, like really really a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9665246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revantio/pseuds/Revantio
Summary: "Jiji? Is it weird if i can't feel anything?"The world will soon learn that not even illness and being a disabled minor could stop Naruto from being Hokage, and obviously, an (in)famous Knucklehead Ninja of Konoha.[A drabble series. Pardon me for typos.]





	1. Chapter 1

" _Jiji_?"

Blond spiky locks peeking inside the room, Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped his fingers for a moment, lifts his head up and smiled to little Naruto.

"Yes, Naruto?"

A faint frown marred his face when he noted how Naruto seems more calm (calm!) and hesitant before he stepped inside and trotted to the Hokage, immediately crawling his way up to the old man's lap. Hiruzen observed how Naruto scrunched his nose as if in deep thought, then clenches Hiruzen's white robe in his tiny fist for a few seconds before letting it go.

Hiruzen's hands moved to circle Naruto's body on his lap, and Naruto looks up to meets his eyes.

"Is it weird if i can't feel anything?"

If Naruto's tone doesn't sound so serious and so solemn for his age, then maybe Hiruzen thinks Naruto is playing a prank on him. But then, Naruto picks people significantly for object of his pranks, and Hokage is never on the list.

"What do you mean, Naruto?"

Naruto frowned—which makes Hiruzen more alarmed.

"I just—" he clenches his fist in front of his chubby-6-year-old face, and his frowns deepen, "—i can't feel my hands, y'know? And my feet too. But—" he grabbed the Hokage hat sitting on the desk, and his expression turned confused, "—but i can feel this hat on my hand it's just... i can't feel if my hands are there—? 'cept i know it's there 'cause i can feel your hat in my hands so i must have hands..."

Blue eyes looked up to meet his beloved _Jiji's_ eyes, and pouting when he sees his _Jiji_ seems to _freeze_ , "... _Jiji_?"

After a moment, the Sandaime ushered Naruto to crawl down and the little blond does so, standing beside his _Jiji_ and looks up in confusion. Then, Hiruzen offered his hand, "Come, Naruto."

Naruto beamed, because it's a rare thing for _Jiji_ to take him for a walk but, "where are we going, _Jiji_?"

Hiruzen doesn't reply, but his expression is grim and Naruto doesn't understand why. Then they arrived at Konoha's Hospital and Naruto is worried if his _Jiji_ is sick. But he can feel his hands—hand, in this case—anyway, and _Jiji_ is with him so everything should be fine. After all, _Jiji_ said once that Naruto beside him makes _Jiji_ smiles, and smiles is the best medicine for any sickness so Naruto is sure he can help _Jiji_ recovers.

 

* * *

 

Except they actually tend to Naruto, not his _Jiji_.

They ran few tests on Naruto—the little blond pouted and whines now and then and the nurses looks so upset that they have to tend to the demon brat, but one look from the Sandaime makes the nurses comply and Naruto shuts up. He still grumbles though, with squeaky little kid voice, then Hiruzen chuckled while patting Naruto's head and Naruto decided that if _Jiji_ is beside him then okay he could do anything asked.

By the end of the day, _Jiji_ buys him ramen but he doesn't finish his bowl. Naruto frowned at his, because _Jiji_ looks so deep in thought like how he was back in hospital. He even looks more grim after he talked with the glasses doctor, Naruto thinks.

But Naruto doesn't ask, because he knows _Jiji_ never tell Naruto anything if he decided that Naruto doesn't have to know, and Naruto believes his _Jiji_.

"Naruto."

It's after they're back to Hokage's office that _Jiji_ started to talk.

"Yes, _Jiji_?"

Hiruzen opens his hand, a gesture for Naruto to get closer, so he does, standing beside his _Jiji_ with _Jiji's_ right hand circled around his waist. Naruto looks at Sandaime's face and can't help but feel confused to _Jiji's_ grim smile.

"Do you know that you are ill?"

Naruto blinked.

"I think... I know?"

Wow _Jiji_ looks far more old than a second ago. How did he do that?

"You... know?" He frowned. "How?"

"A big orange fox told me once."

" _What_?"

Naruto takes a long breath before he begins, "You know, _Jiji_ , that one time i fell down tree—i think i slipped... but maybe because other kids are throwing rocks at me. I'm not sure but anyway i fell, and then i ended up at this big dark wet place with big gate and when i walk forward there's this big _big_ fox and he said—

(" **—an ill, clumsy, dumb host**." The fox spat.

"What?" Naruto squeaked, fear crawling up in his vein but he stands his ground only because he likes color orange and fluffy plushie—the big scary fox looks like both if only he stops showing his teeth and grumbling like old man. Oh but— "—I'm not ill, y'know!"

The fox looks so done, it looks like Miss Yamano's signature 'what even' look when it rolls its red slitted eyes.

" **You are, brat. Incurable one, too."**

Little Naruto looks terrified for a while, because he's apparently sick and even if he doesn't understand what 'incurable' mean, it still sounds bad. But then he pointed at the fox, "How do ya' know about that?! I feel fine, y'know!"

" **No matter."** It said. And after a moment, **"There. The result of your dumb act should be healed** _ **and**_ **majority of symptoms of your sickness should be gone by now."**

Naruto blinked. Then scratched the back of his head. "I don't understand." He said, "but you said you healed me, right? Thank you then, big fuzzball!"

The fox looks torn between rage because the nickname, or rolls his eyes because the hospitality. He snorted instead.

" **Leave.")**

—like that, Jiji, the fox looks scary but it's orange! And orange things are harmless! They are the best color! Oh and you do you know whats incu—incurabile means?"

Naruto blinked, because _Jiji_ has freezes again and.. he looks pale, too. " _Jiji_ , are you okay?" he softly asked.

The sandaime blinks, then sighs, "...I'm fine, Naruto." A pause, "Well, it makes things easier, then." He shows a strained smile which could not convince Naruto at all, "what that.. orange fox said is unfortunately true, Naruto."

Silence.

"Then what does incura—incuri—"

"Incurable."

"—Incurable means then, _Jiji_?"

"It means," Jiji sighs again, and it looks like his grip tightens on Naruto's hand but Naruto still can't feel anything, "it cannot be healed."

Naruto ignores the sinking feeling in his stomach, "Oh," then, "Why?"

"Because it's hereditary."

Seriously, _Jiji_ should stop using words that Naruto cannot understand. He frowned. "Here—what does that means?"

"It means your family might have the same sickness as you, Naruto. Your family might be ill like you. So you got the sickness from them."

"Oh," again, "does _Jiji_ has the same sickness as me then?"

 _Jiji_ chuckled and shakes his head, "no Naruto, not me."

Somehow, that's a bit disappointing. It's not like Naruto _wants_ Jiji to get sick like him but... "...what does the sickness do then?"

Hiruzen keeps quiet for a moment, "It called fibromyalgia, Naruto. It makes you more... sensitive to pain and other things. And easily gets tired than usual. But.." _Jiji_ looks at Naruto's eyes, "you don't feel it, do you?"

Naruto blinked, confused. "Feel what?"

 _Jiji_ frowned. "The way i gripped your hand," he said, "normal people should feel the pain caused by chakra enhanced pressure by now."

"Oh," Naruto said, glancing to Jiji's hand which grabbed his wrist until his palm turned almost white. He shrugged, then frowned, "I.. don't feel any pain." He admitted. "But your hand is very warm, _Jiji_."

 _Jiji_ smiled before he sighs again as he lets Naruto's wrist go. He does that often today. Sighing tiredly, he means. Is he that worried about Naruto? But Naruto feels fine. But if _Jiji_ is that worried maybe it's a really bad sickness after all..?

Seeing the blond's sad expression, the older one pulls out a pair of black gloves with orange lined down on the wrist part, and smiled softly at Naruto. "Here," and then _Jiji_ begins to put the gloves on Naruto's palms.

"You can feel your hands now, right?"

Naruto blinked, tilted his head then fisted his fingers, clenches them for seconds and then releases them. He grinned and beamed, because he can feel the soft fabric of the gloves to his skin, and thus he can feel his hands again. He jumped, and then hugs the chuckling Hokage.

"Thank you so much, Jiji!"

So much to make Naruto forgets the more important topic.

 

* * *

 

" _Jiji_ , isn't it cold today?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow to the seven year old Naruto on the couch in Hokage's office, practically burying himself in blanket and long orange scarf.

"...No?"

Even his old bones doesn't feel _that_ cold.

Naruto frowned. "It isn't?" A pause, "strange. I'm sure this room is freezing. Obviously more warm than my place but—"

Naruto's squirming to get all his skin covered in blanket and Hiruzen blinked. _Oh_.

The Hokage gets up and turns up the heater in the room, noting Naruto's satisfied hum and sits back on his desk, back to do the bane of his existence, named paperworks.

But then...

"It's too hot, Jiji!"

Hiruzen very nearly slams his head on the table.

 

* * *

 

"Naruto,"

"Yes, _Jiji_?"

"Do you always feel pain and very sensitive like this?"

Naruto blinked. Then frowned as he thinks, though he seems to be sinking more to the guest's couch and trying to find the right position to sits down since his skin itches on few parts if it's not the right position.

"I guess... I am." He finally admitted. "But the orphanage matron would be, like, so done with all my whinings of too hot or too cold water, fabrics which causes itches only on my skin, touches which makes me ache, and so on so forth so i usually treats myself."

Blue eyes glanced at his Jiji's murky brown and frowned again at the pitying and sad expression on the old man's face. "But i'm fine, _Jiji_. Sure, it really hurts as hell when they pinches my cheeks or beats me up because i'm so nosy but i heal really quickly—"

"—they beats you up?"

"—uh, yes?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. Why does _Jiji_ sounds so surprised and sad and frustrated at the same time anyway? "So, Anyway i heal really quickly, and gets tired easily too i think... i always sleep after crying and always sleep a bit more than others so... and after few beatings or so i started to feel numb, but not to the point of where-are-my-hands-and-feet numb like that day when you give me gloves." A pause, "i think... that level of numb happens right after i spoke with that orange fuzzball fox..."

Naruto hears a long sigh and frowned in concern when he sees the Sandaime leans back on his chair and seems to be massaging his forehead.

"Eh. Are you okay, Jiji..?"

Naruto wants to get up to comfort his _Jiji_ but then he already found his comfort position on the couch and the window behind _Jiji_ opens to blow wind inside the room, which would be cold for Naruto and God knows how Naruto can't deal with cold wind like that. _Jiji_ waves his other hand in dismissal but Naruto is very very unconvinced.

"Now i'm okay, you know." He slowly said, "nowadays i rarely feel pain. Except stab wounds and broken bones maybe. Those stings and ache and i hate hearing my bones _creak_." Naruto shivered, remembering that one time he fell down the tree (again) and his hand which bent on unnatural angle ache as fuck, and creak like door hinges on his every step to Hokage tower. Ew.

"By 'rarely' you means you're numb and don't feel pain. At all." The Hokage replied tiredly.

"Yes, that."

Naruto rolls his eyes when The Sandaime looks very much like those senile old man he sees on the park, the one when Naruto approaches, he would ask what's Naruto's name, Naruto would answer, and then the next day he asked again what's Naruto's name. That almost causes Naruto's head aches because frustration's a flare-up. Oh, his weak brain.

"Come on, Jiji. Not even this sickness could stop me from being Hokage, y'know? Isn't it cool, the first—what did you say about that? Disabled Hokage, right?"

The Sandaime sighs and smiled. "Yes, Naruto. I'm sorry. I believe in you now."

Naruto grinned. "You should always, y'know."

 

* * *

 

Controlling chakra is hard, and controlling your emotion to not cause headache is more so.

But then _Jiji_ always has time to hear Naruto's whining of weather or of his life in general, so Naruto never loses motivation. Naruto would visits his _Jiji_ when he's not too tired after he pranks the village, or if he feels like his place is too cold or too hot to his liking; and _Jiji_ is very kind to let him practice his chakra control and make a proper (goddamn) _bunshin_ in his office. So after three years of practicing with bitching and whining in general, (Naruto wonders how did _Jiji_ manages to be so calm hearing his complains all these years because he can't even stand himself complaining and whining sometimes) he is proud to say that he passes the graduation test.

Nevermind the dumbfounded look other kids throw at him when he jumps and whooping his hitai-ate in joy.

So then, Naruto still has a little hard time remembering how and when and why did he end up in this predicament. Sneaking to Hokage's private library while grumbling about dust and his hands itches when he brushed them to the old forbidden scrolls. Probably they are forbidden because the dust causes itches to skin. Oh wait, only to his skin.

It's all that bastard Mizuki's fault anyway! That shit of a teacher stole his hitai-ate!

Naruto grudgingly admits his skill is pretty good—to sneak up around Uzumaki Naruto who could sneak to ANBU Headquarters to put glitter and rainbow explosions using orange monstrosity—but that doesn't mean he could use the Hitai-ate to blackmail him to steal a forbidden scroll! Fuck him! Also fuck himself because he's being too freaking stupid and too freaking happy to not realize Mizuki sneaking up to him.

To be honest, fuck the world too to cause this illness which makes him itchy as fuck and doesn't Mizuki knows the night-air is so cold?! The bastard.

So anyway, he got the forbidden (itchy as hell) scroll, and is currently waits around a clearing with him hugging himself and covers lower of his face in his orange scarf. His favorite one because it's so warm and soft. It eases his headache—the byproduct of frustrating and being angry about Mizuki—a bit. And helps with cold night. But he's so _long_.

Naruto glanced at the scroll beside him. He's curious about the scroll. Very curious. But that thing causes him to get itchy as hell. Naruto rolls his blue eyes to the night sky above, then counts to ten, and Mizuki still hasn't appeared, he's bored, and the cold weather makes him grouchy and he's very very curious to the scroll—

"—what the hell." He muttered grumpily. Fuck the itches, then. Naruto grabs the scroll and opens it, reads the first jutsu which name is 'Kage-Bunshin.'

...

Goddamn _Bunshin_. What even.

Naruto is prepared to see limp bunshins that looks very much like alien or very ugly clay statue because he poured unholy amount of chakra to the hand sign while muttering "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" muffled by his scarf. It's understatement that he's surprised to see ten perfect clones of himself in front of him.

He blinked. "It's so easy!" And proceed to touches one closest to him, "And solid!" Naruto grinned, then shouted in joy.

But then his clones started to feel cold too, and are bitching about the weather—except that one particular clone who looks so done he said he wants to suicide—and Naruto is ready to make them all disappear before they causes headaches when Iruka-sensei comes to the clearing.

"Naruto?"

With another hand-sign, the clones disappear in one go and Naruto knocks his head back to the tree behind him because his head aches. So much. This must be the side effect which he doesn't bother to read then. Ow. He wants to lay down. But grasses makes his skin itch as fuck too.

"'ruka-sense'." He grumbles, glanced to the academy teacher.

Iruka frowned, concerned. "What are you doing here?"

"'zuki 'tarb stol' 'tai-ate."

"Excuse me?"

Naruto pulls down his orange scarf which covered his mouth, "I said, that Mizuki bastard stole my-hitai-ate."

"Naruto, language!"

"Sorry _sensei_." He said automatically. But then he scowled, gestured to the big scroll in front of him, "and he forced me to stole a scroll from Hokage's library if i want to get it back."

"Mizuki-sensei forced you to _what_?"

Spending majority of his time with _Jiji_ makes him understand that the question is rhetorical therefore he doesn't have to answer it. Iruka-sensei just needs time to process the information, Naruto thinks. Adults do that sometimes. Besides, Iruka-sensei looks so angry and Naruto doesn't want to hear scolding to cause migraine.

"Good, demon. Now give the scroll to me."

Naruto frowned. Then Iruka jumped in front of Naruto, kunai in hand, ready to battle Mizuki.

"Don't give the scroll to him, Naruto! Stay back."

The blond nods and tie his long scarf around his neck. Because, again, he's too content to move in the middle of the night only to have cold wind whipping at his face. No thanks. Or maybe he spent too much time with Shikamaru and the laziness rubbed off on him. That's a possibility.

After that though, he doesn't remember much. He remembers Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-bastard fighting one on one, and Naruto still sits down and squirming on the dirt to get better position so his back doesn't itch. Then point A suddenly flew to point W for What-the-hell of Mizuki telling him that the reason the villagers are so hate him to kingdom come is because 12 years ago there's this demon named nine-tailed fox attacked the village, and they believe with vigor that he's the Kyuubi itself. He _is_ the Kyuubi? Naruto almost snort because what kind of demon gets very sensitive to cold wind, hot water, and dust? So _nah_ , Naruto mostly believes he is not Kyuubi who could destroy a village in one night. He doubts he could stand the murky feeling of blood on his fingers and the itch of building debris. Could you imagine that, though? A big demon pauses himself in the middle of its rampage because it needs to scratch its itchy fingers? _Ha_. No way.

"You are not demon, Naruto! You _keep_ the village safe from Kyuubi! You are only its _Jinchuuriki_!"

Being human sacrifice is... not convincing and he doesn't understand what does that mean either, but having someone telling him he's not demon and finally shutting up the insecurity voices in the back of his head really makes him happy. So Naruto grinned and nodded.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei! I know i'm not!"

But then in seconds point W moves to point N for Nope when Mizuki lunges with _fuuma_ _kunai_ and damn it Naruto _just_ gets up and _just_ manages to ignore the cold wind when the kunai stabbed his back because he apparently tackled Iruka-sensei away in time. The good news is, Naruto can moves fast enough if he has the right motivation.

"Naruto!" Iruka-sensei looks so terrified, Naruto would've laughed if his back doesn't _sting_ so much.

"Mizuki you bastard!" Naruto snarled, grabs one of the blade which stuck out of his back with his hand, ignoring the sting on his palm and the cold, ticklish feeling of cold wind on blood, and pulled the shuriken out. "That _stings_ as hell, you know!?"

Both adult seems to be too stunned to do anything—since when stab wounds _stings_ anyway?—while Naruto already shakes his palm up and down to get rid of the blood. While scowling fiercely. "Do you know i don't like to get stabbed?! At freakin' night on top of that! _Oh my god_ do you know how cold it is!? How cold the wind is and how sticky it feels on my wounds!? You know i might actually forgive you if you just stole my hitai-ate, i mean, i can show my graduation to _Jiji_ anytime and he will believe me without prove anyway but _noooo_ , you just _have_ to force me to steal forbidden scroll which is itchy as hell and meet you outside in the middle of the night! And then you go around picking a fight and ruining my most comfortable gloves! God _damn it_! How the hell did i agree anyway?!"

Mizuki seems to be recovered first, for he scowled, "You demon—"

"Shut up, damn you!" Red chakra flares up from his body; healing his wounds little by little, turning his blue eyes to slitted red, and Naruto _roared_ , "No demons has incurable itch sickness because of freakin' dust, you dumbass! _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Hundreds shadow clones of him appeared, and while the first hundred or so lunged at Mizuki and completely beats him up, the rest are bitching and whining about cold wind at night and how their wound stings. Naruto is so fucking done to—

"—you okay? How about your wounds?! Naruto!"

Said blonde blinked, to see Iruka-sensei's worried face and the raven haired's hands already on his shoulder, whipping his body to turn and checks his stab wounds on his back. Still stings, by the way.

"I'm okay, Iruka-sensei." He grinned.

Iruka looks doubtful at best, and frowned.

"Really, though." He assured. "But my hitai-ate." He moaned. Then he feels something slid on his right palm and lifts said palm to see the big cut wounds on the palm on the fingers, making whining noises which mostly muffled by his orange scarf, "My poor glove, too."

Thankfully, Iruka-sensei seems to be relaxed a bit, because he smiled and digs something out of his flak jacket pocket while Naruto still mourns at his ruined so-very-comfortable glove. Something cold seems to be sticked on his forehead and Naruto looks up to see Iruka-sensei ties a blue hitai-ate on his fore-head. He widens his eyes in disbelief, then touched the Konoha symbol on his forehead.

"Iruka-sensei, this is—?"

The adult smiled, "your graduation gift."

"But this is yours!" He blurted, traced the blunt and scratches marks on the plate, "—isn't it?"

"Well, yes. That was mine. Now it's yours."

Naruto grinned, then beamed. "Thanks Iruka-sensei!"

"You're welcome, Naruto. Now for your wounds—"

Unfortunately, Naruto doesn't hear much, because he feels very tired suddenly, and when he glances around he notices his clones are already gone. So that might be the cause of it. And the cause of his headache and jumbled memories of him—so many of him—beating Mizuki sensei (and getting beaten) up. He also notices Iruka-sensei panicked face, but he's so tired and sleepy and cold so he closes his eyes and sleeps.

 

* * *

 

"Why am i the one getting tied anyway?!" Even tied to a log cannot stop Naruto to whine and throws tantrums with passion.

"Shut up, dobe."

"It's easy for you to say, duck-butt, since you don't feel itchy rope crawling on your skin, and the dirt also makes your skin itchy, then you can't move freely to more comfortable position and everything is hot as hell!"

"Naruto, stop complaining! You're noisy."

Naruto scowled. "You don't know me, Sakura-chan. Nobody can stop me from whining and complaining. Not even me. I make me whine and complain every time i can. And how do you _not_ complain if the sun is burning your skin anyway?!"

"It's not that hot, dead-last. Man-up."

"Not for _you_ , _teme_. For _me_. Geez, did you ever hear me say that you're burning?"

Sasuke turned around, glared at the blond and looks ready to strangle Naruto or throw him at lava lake, while Sakura follows the last Uchiha. It looks less fierce than always though, because Naruto could see the familiar concerned frown on her face.

"Are you... really burning, Naruto?" Sakura hesitantly asks, after Sasuke grunted in annoyance and ignores the blond.

"I am, Sakura-chan. I have sensitive skin, you see."

Sasuke snorted. Naruto tries to kick the Uchiha, which leads to his sandal brushing Sasuke's back and him losing his balance.

"Naruto!" Sakura's tone is torn between scolding, annoyed, or concerned. Probably all three.

"I am serious though!" Naruto said. "It's too hot and i can't stand the sun i might _die_. I will get burned to death and i will _die_."

Sasuke rolls his eyes to his teammate's theatrical while Sakura looks hesitant (again). Eventually, Sakura pulls out a handkerchief and spread them on Naruto's head, which makes the latter blinked.

"Sakura-chan...?"

Said girl frowned, then scowled, "you said it was too hot, don't you?"

"Well..." a pause, then he grinned, and chirped, "yes! Thank you Sakura-chan! But my other body parts are still hot though..."

Sakura knocks the blond's head with her fist, and Naruto tilted his head down. " _Baka_! I don't have any fabric to cover all your body, dead-last!"

Sasuke stares at both his team-mates then, looking doubtful at best, before he scowled and put his _bento_ box down on the dirt beside him and moves closer to the blond. Said blond eyed the raven-haired warily and narrows his eyes.

"What do you want, _teme_?"

"Naruto! Don't be like that to Sasuke!"

Onyx eyes looked down before he grunted, and begins to pull Naruto's body up. "Move, _dobe_." He pointed at a nearby tree with his chin.

After Naruto recovers from Sasuke's rare act of kindess (or stops looking at the Uchiha like he just grew another head), he complied while grunted a short "...thanks."

"I'll help." Sakura softly says, before she moves to Naruto's side and begin steering the blond to the shadow under the tree.

But before the three genins reached their goal, a puff of smoke appeared in front of them and a bored Kakashi Hatake appeared in front of them, complete with the orange book in his hand.

"What are you guys doing?" He drawled.

"Moving." Naruto deadpans.

"Hn."

"Well..." Sakura averted her gaze away, laughing nervously.

"Didn't i tell you to eat your lunch?"

Sasuke looks guilty (a bit) and frowned, averted his gaze away but grunted grumpily anyway. While Sakura looks down and scared.

Naruto, on the other hand, narrows his eyes to his to-be-Jounin-teacher, "I'm pretty sure _Jiji_ has informed you about my condition, Kakashi-sensei."

Now that really draws attention, as Sakura and Sasuke stare curiously at him while said Kakashi-sensei looked up from his book in his hand.

Naruto glared, "If anyone has to be send back to the academy, it probably be me, since i'm disabled dead-last and all." The blond admitted with so much venom and displeasure he gritted his teeth, "Also i can't keep my attention constantly on class for _reasons you already know_ so i might just try another year it won't hurt." A pause, "But it's _so_ fucking hot! Not for all of you since y'all has the grace of normal skin anyway but for _me_! And if i'm gonna get back to the academy then i better get back with full condition, not getting heat-stroke or skin problems because the dirty itchy rope or the damn sun! And since Sakura-chan is so kind to help me, Sasuke-teme also helps me too and before i report you for assaulting disabled _minor_ then you better _get the fuck out of the way_!"

Sakura slack-jawed, while Sasuke seems to be staring at Naruto with new light and new angle, and Kakashi-not-sensei seems stunned. Then the silver-haired jounin eye-smiled them, "Languange, Naruto."

Naruto looks away and grumbles an incoherent "Whatever."

And surprise surprise, "Congratulations! You all pass!"

Not even that announcement could stop Naruto from bitching and whining more about itchy rope and burning sun so, in the end, they still move Naruto to the tree's shadow, while eating their lunch peacefully.

 

* * *

 

"Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto looks up from his glorious D-class weeding mission, glared at the sun, then sighing tiredly to his sensei. He pulled out another weed before he nodded.

"You can finish early if—"

"No way!" He snapped, earning attention from Sasuke and Sakura who are not really too far from then. "I would not leave my teammates, _sensei_! Not this time at least. I can do this, _sensei_! Believe it!"

Naruto seriously wonders why adults seems to be very concerned on his well-being after they know about his illness. Surely it's not _that_ bad. At least Naruto himself doesn't feel that bad. So why they worry so much? And Kakashi-sensei looks more worried than before, too. It's not like Kakashi never gives such privileges to him, per se. In fact, he often gives it to Naruto, and Naruto has received the privileges for several times. Particularly when he got extreme headache, or when it's too hot for Naruto to handle. It's frustrating, to remember how his teammates seems to be superior than him in training, especially Sasuke-teme. But frustrating over things causes migraine and they _are_ superiors by nature so... Naruto has learned to take everything in stride.

"Really, _sensei_. I am fine. Perfectly fine."

Kakashi nodded then, and suddenly all the worried aura gone, switched by a more disgusting aura while said jonin instructor is giggling while reading his book. Naruto scowled, plucked out some weeds and throws them at the silver-haired jonin.

 


	2. Wave

Contrary to popular belief, Kakashi never see himself as someone on high-ground.

Flippant and almost arrogant he might be, he always think that he is a failure. A big failure. A loser. A disappointment. Whatever the synonyms. He lets his father die (he could’ve spend more time with him, could’ve assured him that he is not a disappointment and even if he is, _not_ to Kakashi), he lets Obito die (he could’ve move faster, takes them from the danger to be safe), he killed Rin (he lets Obito down, oh, he lets his _best friend_ down), he freezes as he watched his _sensei_ impaled by the demon (there’s a barrier, he cannot enter the barrier, he isn’t fast enough to assist his _sensei_ ), and he run away from his legacy by abandoning  his sensei’s son (a blond child so alike his _sensei_ , so bright like his mother; _it’s hurt to see_ ).

A decade has passed since what he dubbed as his ‘Dark Age’ and he is proud to say that he could move on... if only for a little bit. It’s slowly but surely he moved on, and being a _Jounin_ Instructor proved to be a new challenge as it will help him to recover (according to Pakkun and his other nin-dogs) from whatever slump he’s in for the last decade.

If only the burden the Council put on his shoulder is not that big; to look after the last Uchiha and his sensei’s son. His sensei’s _ill_ son. Now, Kakashi never teach anyone before, so he has no idea on why teaching genins should be. Not to say he has to teach an ill genin, too.

Kakashi imagined, it won’t be too hard to teach the genins. It will probably similiar to how he teach his pups to talk for the first time, or instructing his ANBU team with waaaay more lose consequences and punishments. Then he should pay more attention and care for the last Uchiha and his sensei’s ill son just to be sure nothing goes awry. In theory, it shouldn’t be that hard. And Kakashi is not a genius for nothing; he applied theories perfectly in one go. So, Kakashi believes that it really shouldn’t be too hard.

Only the cruel reality is, it is _that_ hard. More hard even. Because his sensei’s son now, _Naruto_.

Naruto complains at the slightest change of temperature, he whine at foods and drinks, he yells and throws tantrums and having headache all in one go. Dealing with Naruto needs patience; for his whining and complains have high potential to screw team works, and fortunately Kakashi has just right patience to always separate his little genins from fighting. Add to the fact that at least after the first week, Sakura and Sasuke learned to ignore the blond, which is way better than lashing out at Naruto and ignite a fight.

But the most important point is, Naruto doesn’t know when to stop. He doesn’t know the limit of his ill body. Or he does know, but he refused to stop. For example, like that one particular time. Which then later Kakashi remembers for the rest of his life.

(That day, after the team captured Tora the demon cat, the team reported to the Hokage and they were going back together. It’s probably Kakashi’s fault, really. He should be able to tell that the day is far too hot than usual, that Sasuke who is usually calm snapped at Sakura and even Sakura herself started grumbling grumpily due to the heat, that he should stop Naruto from running around doing D-class mission who will get him bed-ridden later. He overlooked Naruto who has resorted to gritted his teeth and keep quiet as much as he can—which is not much, really, considering how much Naruto whine and complain everyday.

The thing is, the day is too hot for the team to handle, and Kakashi forgot how it will be for Naruto if the heat managed to affect his teammates. Kakashi simply forgot how Naruto whine about burning sun even though the temperature is still pretty much average—a bit up maybe but still average. And he overlooked Naruto’s slightly quiet behavior and sluggish movements due to the heat, not his illness.

After they reported that day, on the way to their respective housings, Naruto suddenly fainted, completely fell unconscious—Kakashi doesn’t know if it was because of fatigue, or _very_ abnormal high temperature of his body, or the concussion he got from dropping head first on the road. The blood flowing down from the newly acquired head wound is not helping, either.

Kakashi ignored Sakura’s shocked yet horrified cry and Sasuke’s rare surprised expression as he took Naruto in his hands and runs to the hospital. He was panicked, cursing himself for forgetting the very important part that Naruto has chronic incurable illness, blaming himself,  and the Sandaime’s message keep replaying itself like broken tape in his mind; _“He’s a special kid, Hatake._ Please _take a_ really _good care of him.”_

The silver-haired _jounin_ wasn’t sure if he threatened anyone in hospital to treat the blond ASAP that day, but maybe, maaybe he did, because on state of desperation he basically forces everyone to obey by sheer killing-intent he managed to show. Kakashi also doesn’t really gets anything the medic-nin said that time beside ‘heat-stroke,’ ‘chronic illness,’ ‘very sensitive nerves,’ ‘fatigue,’ and ‘will be fine in a week’s rest.’

God knows the next two days Naruto treated in hospital was one of the most stressed days in Kakashi’s life.

In the next morning, Naruto refused to open his eyes; he refused to wake up because his headache, and that leads to Naruto refused his meals and medicine. Kakashi has tried many (kind) ways, from staring at the blond until he feels uncomfortable in his ‘sleep,’ shaking his student’s body, bribe him to wake up, tricked him even, but none works because, “ _Shut up, Kakashi-sensei, i want to sleep. I don’t want to wake up with this headache, it’s killing me alive and i don’t want to die now. Leave me alone._ ” The lack of hostile tone or curse words on Naruto’s sentence really worries Kakashi. Because that means Naruto is controlling his emotions to not cause anymore headache.

Luckily, the headache seems to slowly disappear in the evening, and with Naruto finally woke up (admitting that he was hungry), Kakashi happily deliver his meal and medicine. And Naruto eat the meal peacefully before going back to sleep. Well, if only it’s really that easy in reality. Because the fact is, nothing ever gets easy if it’s concerning Naruto Uzumaki.

Naruto complains and whines a lot. Like really, _really_ a lot. It’s like all his whine and complain every day is nothing but prologue and this is the real thing. He whine about the cold wind from window, then the kinda-itchy hospital robe, then asking (and whining) about his gloves, then to the too-hot-soup and the too-cold-drink. Kakashi managed to respond as patient as he can, and finally managed to talk Naruto to eat his meal and drink his medicine.

Even when said meal only gets half-finished.

Kakashi despairs; or more likely he is worried. He is worried sick because his student, his sensei’s son, his sensei’s _ill_ son, has ended in this predicament because of _his_ fault, _an amateur’s fault_ , and the kid refused any more treatments. Or not fully receiving the treatments while complaining and whining like a five year old kid.

He really, really wants to strangle someone. Or kill people. Or just tearing his hair out of frustration. Kakashi feels like he just aged few more years just by staying on Naruto’s side in twenty-four hours. He swore he’s going to get wrinkles just by thinking about his blond student because he really doesn’t know what he should do to make his student recovers quickly.

Kakashi can’t leave his student alone, he got back to his apartment only for one hour before he stayed in the room to watch Naruto sleep the rest of the time. But he doesn’t make appearance in front of the blond, because Kakashi isn’t sure if he can handle the blond. His socializing quota for the day has ran out yesterday, and Kakashi is sure he could not be a good talking partner for Naruto. He’s pretty much the mechanical killer ‘Scarecrow’ of ANBU, not flippant-pervert _Jounin_ Kakashi Hatake right now, so Kakashi hides in one of the corner in Naruto’s room, completely disguised.

Fortunately, the Sandaime come to check Naruto for the day, and from hidden spot in the corner Kakashi sighed in relief to see Naruto grinning and joking to the Hokage in his room. He has more or less recovered and that’s good. But that doesn’t last long though, as Naruto continue to complain and whine about his mission which lead him to this predicament, the weather, the hospital’s food, the hospital’s gown, and about his gloves. All the time Sandaime managed to listen and respond lightly while doing his paperworks on the table in front of the bed.

Kakashi dreaded the time when Sandaime will go back to his office because Kakashi is still not sure if he has the patience to deal with Naruto, even when he has pretty much regained his confidence as normal Jounin. Nobody said patience is a key in taking care of Naruto, so Kakashi still mostly trying to adapt before the real thing. Kakashi seriously respect all _iryo-nin_ in the world who takes care of ill patients. Because if all ill patients are like Naruto then Kakashi is sure he’ll mess things up in no time. He could finish dozens S-class missions in record time, assassinate people in blink of an eye, but taking care of ill kid, especially if the kid is named Uzumak Naruto, that is _out of the fucking question_.

But the Hokage, bless his old, kind soul, stayed in Naruto’s room until evening, convincing Naruto to finish his every meals and medicine and how the hell it worked splendidly; how it looked so easy still baffled Kakashi. Night comes shortly after and different from yesterday, Naruto doesn’t sleep early; in fact, he seems to be having problem sleeping, as he’s squirming more on his bed until he finally stopped and staring at the Sandaime still calmly sign his paperworks.

“...I’m sorry, _Jiji_.”

Kakashi almost dropped his disguise because the sudden mellow tone and half-whispered apologize. From brief glance of Hokage to him, he seems to notice it too. Hiruzen gets up from his seat and sat on the side of Naruto’s bed.

“I complained and whined too much today, aren’t I?”

The Hokage smiled, while Naruto sighs.

“I really don’t mean to overdo it but it’s just—“

“I understand, Naruto.”

“But Kakashi-sensei don’t.” Naruto replied, somehow he sounds so _tired_ , “and he didn’t visit me today,” the genin frowned, then after a moment he whispered, “..i think he can’t deal with me anymore.”

Kakashi felt a pang of guilt in his chest, noticed Sandaime’s glance at his side (again), but he remained silent.

“He’s your _jounin sensei_. Of course he can deal with you, Naruto.” Hiruzen slowly tells the blond, hint of humor present to lighten the topic, “but he’s... a rather busy  man.”

The younger one frowned, clearly looks unconvinced, but finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. They stayed silent for a moment then, each in their own thoughts but comfortable with the silence anyway, before the blond breaks it once again, with a voice worthy of whispers, “do you think Kakashi- _sensei_ will forgive me, _jiji_?”

“Of course he will. What kind of teacher to not forgive his student?” The Sandaime smiled bitterly, as if remembering something; probably his own genin team back then..? Did _jiji_ has genin team too?

Naruto makes a face, “he hasn’t teach us anything beside team work.... and stopping us from beating each other off.”

The Hokage chuckled again, his wrinkled hand moved to pat Naruto’s hand gently, “sleep now, Naruto. I’m sure they will let you out tomorrow.”

Then the Sandaime gets up, and Naruto turned his head to where Kakashi hides and he almost slipped his disguise again because it’s just hit him now how Naruto looks. It’s not his pale face—he already got better from yesterday—but how _weary_ the blond looks. He looks so tired, but not physically tired; he almost looks like those ANBU members who are very close on edge, depression gnawed their mind they refused to die but reluctant to live either. Naruto shouldn’t have that kind of expression on his face. He’s summer personified; bright as the sun and sky, noisy as the cicadas. In fact, any twelve year old kid shouldn’t have that kind of expression on their faces. For all his whining and complains, for all his spoiled five-year-old antics, Naruto is still a child too weary for his age. He’s been dealing with his illness for all his life and will be dealing with it for the rest of his life; Kakashi doesn’t know  if he can do the same. Kakashi found a new respect to his sensei’s son. Hi sensei’s ill yet _strong_ son.

Blue eyes closed and the owner’s breathing evened; evident of deep sleep, and Kakashi finally dropped his disguise. He walked closer to the blond, almost ignoring the Sandaime as his lone eye focused solely on his student; how serene he looked on hospital bed. Comparing Naruto’s expressions from earlier and now, Kakashi almost afraid if Naruto is _dead_ , not sleeping.

Then Kakashi hears the Sandaime sighs, “He never know when to stop.”

The silver-haired _jounin_ just nodded, putting both his hands in his pants pockets and continue watching his student, as if afraid he will die any minutes now.

“Shouldn’t you rest now, Hokage-sama?” He politely asked, looking at the village’s leader.

Hiruzen nodded, and began walking out of the room. Reluctantly, Kakashi follows him out; sending a last glance to Naruto before he closed the door and escort the Sandaime back to his house.)

From that (stressful) days in his life, Kakashi has learned the hard way to pay more and more attention to the blond. The last Uchiha be damned, because his sensei’s son could get bed-ridden simply because of the damn heat and (god forbid) die because of heat-stroke combined by fatigue and extreme headache. Sure he checked the Uchiha every now and then but the rest of his attention mostly focused on the blond.

So now, when Naruto’s movements are unusually sluggish on one of their training time, Kakashi instantly alarmed.

“Naruto, stop.” Kakashi ordered, and the blond complied, stopping half-way of his thirty laps while frowning in confusion to his _sensei_. He dragged his feet to his silver-haired _sensei_ , stopping in front of the said _sensei_ and ignored Sasuke’s and Sakura’s curious gaze.

“What, _sensei_? I can still continue, y’know. Today’s unusually warm.”

Kakashi looks at the blond’s posture and frowned faintly, “take off your clothes.”

Naruto gawked, Sasuke who is coincidentally passed in front of them tripped, and Sakura has sprinted to approach Sasuke. Then the blond hugged himself, leaning away from his teacher with a disbelief yet disgusted look on his face, and Kakashi is very confused for a moment, then he noticed Sasuke’s disgusted scowl and realized, “I still very much appreciated the beauty of woman’s body, you see.” He drawled. “But if you won’t take it off then maybe i should take them off for you, hm, Naruto?”

An eye smile is enough to shut Naruto and makes his face pale, but then he quickly do as the silver-haired _ninja_ said.

All his upper clothes get taken off, Kakashi widens his lone eyes, Sakura gasped, and Sasuke has gone pretty much still.

Behind the orange monstrosity and his shirt, there are numbers of gashes and cuts all over Naruto’s body and his hands; most of them new, the rest are recovering but not looking better. Naruto frowned to look down, curious to what caused his friends’s commotion, then sheepishly, nervously, rubbed his nape.

“Um,” he said, the first to break the silence, “I’m sorry, _sensei_....?”

Kakashi has forced Naruto promised to take care of himself and to tell Kakashi if he obtained an injury or if he feels like he can’t keep up the training. To see Naruto covered in wounds while training normally and doesn’t inform Kakashi whatsover really makes Naruto feels guilty, Kakashi knows. It doesn’t stop Kakashi from sighing in despair, “Sasuke, Sakura, training finished for today. Go home and rest. Naruto, stay here.”

Albeit reluctantly, Sakura and Sasuke nodded, and they leave the training ground while glancing at Naruto in worry. While Naruto frowned, watches his friends go before looked down and grumbling.

“I’m sorry, okay? It’s not like i can feel the pain whatsover..”

Kakashi is seriously ready to get grey hairs, “...what did you say, Naruto?”

Said genin looks up, raised an eyebrow in confusion. “I can’t feel any pain at all. I didn’t know if i have those injuries.” A pause, Naruto adopted a thoughtful look, “...maybe i know because i can’t move as freely as usual and my body’s kinda sticky but...” he shrugged, “It’s not like i know if it’s because of those injuries. Didn’t _Jiji_ tell you, _sensei_?”

Kakashi kept quiet while trying to process Naruto’s words, comparing it with Sandaime’s briefing of Naruto’s numb sensations and Naruto’s tenant to cause special conditions, and trying not to tear his hair out of frustration. God, why is he so dumb? How did Naruto Uzumaki makes Hatake Kakashi, the genius proidy _jounin_ , looks so dumb?

Naruto seems to take the silence and Kakashi’s pale face as ‘no’ for he looked more confused,  “He didn’t?”

Sure Kakashi knows Naruto could hardly feel pain, he knows the reason, but to this extent? “You... can’t feel any pain _at all_?” Kakashi asked in disbelief.

“Well.. yes?” Naruto frowned. Then he looked around before he leans closer to his _sensei_ , one hand up to the side of his mouth, like telling a legit secret, “ _Jiji_ said it’s something to do with the _Kyuubi_ inside me and his demonic _chakra_ , dulled my pain senses and make me numb as side effects... or something like that. I don’t really understand, though.” A pause, Naruto leaned back and looked at Kakashi strangely, “why do you think i use gloves, _sensei_?”

 _Because he can’t feel his numb hands without help from the gloves_.

Kakashi is ready to retire right here and now, really. Because he’s sure he just lost a decade worth of age just by this.. horrifying truth. He really thought the numb and not-feeling-pain won’t go to this extent, really. And Naruto always said the gloves are important because it’s a gift from his _Jiji_ ; that he should always wear it as sign of respect, so Kakashi doesn’t really connects them to the numb sensations.

Nothing is ever easy on taking care of one Naruto Uzumaki, alright.

 

* * *

 

Their first C-rank mission has surprisingly easy start, Naruto thinks.

The first quarter is easy, because even with the (un)glory of chronic illness, a few infamous missing-nins-turned-thugs cannot take down Naruto Uzumaki and his bastard friend Sasuke Uchiha dubbed duck-butt, with the support of beautiful Haruno Sakura. Naruto counts all is good, at least until Kakashi suspects their client, Tazuna, has lied about the mission’s rank. Because really, that is like the start of every nopes and wrongs in their mission.

Maybe Naruto do expect some nopes and wrongs, as he’s the quick one to pump up and yell ‘YES! We SHOULD still continue the mission, _sensei_! I am NOT going back under this hot weather! Just carry on!’ But never to this extent, really.

As soon as they reached the little village, suddenly, a thick mist appeared out of nowhere, the air turned cold so fast and Naruto is gritting his teeth; struggling to not swear and yell to the extreme change of temperature. It’s proven to be a good thing as from somewhere in the mist, Kakashi-sensei shouted orders to protect Tazuna-san and be alert for enemies. True to his word, there’re two enemy-nins appeared from inside the mist, and obviously they are not simply no-name thugs with the hitai-ates on their head. Doesn’t mean Naruto wants to know their name, though.

They lunged forward with creepy paedophilian/psycho grins, and while Sasuke lunged head on, Naruto makes at least twenty Kage-bunshins to distract them for a moment. Then Naruto takes out a scroll from his sweater pocket while grumbling about the mist, and by the time Naruto has unsealed his beloved orange scarf and tied it around his neck, Sasuke already jumped back to look at Naruto like he just grew another head. And Sakura ‘s eyes widens so big they might as well jumped out.

“What?” Naruto asked defensively, but before Sasuke could retort with smart-ass mocking comment and be a bastard he is, sound of clanging metals makes them turned their heads to the two enemy ninjas, to see all of his clones already killed.

“Enough playing, brats!” Barked one of them; ugjerk, Naruto dubbed, “I’ll kill y’all and feed yer bodies to the beasts!”

What beast, Naruto wanted to retort, but they lunged again, more quickly and ferocious than before, so the blond focused more attention on taking down ugjerk while Sasuke take down dumbtard. It worked well, surprisingly. Turns out both ugjerk and dumbtard are both dumbs and arrogant, they are relatively easy to trick; with the help of Naruto’s amazing acting skill, henged shadow clones, and Sasuke’s fire jutsu show off, they both got knocked out. Naruto pulled his scarf up to cover lower of his face from cold damp mist, and scoffed in satisfaction as he poked ugjerk’s body with his foot.

But then, the mist started to disappear, and at distances, with the glory of getting imprisoned by water (of all things), is their _sensei_ , with a scary looking bandaged man with massive meat-knife.

Then the bandaged man looked at them, scoffed, and started talking, “Is that your kids, Hatake?” He said, somehow he looks disgusted but amused at once, “how _feeble_.”

Naruto stiffens in defense because that man whoever it is has stroked his personal ego; the nurses always talk about how feeble his body is and how he should forget his dreams of being a _ninja_. But fuck them because he is Naruto Uzumaki and nobody could rule what his dreams are. And this enemy- _nin_ is.. (un)surprisingly managed to annoy Naruto just by that simple word somehow, so he stepped forward while frowning furiously, pointed at the said enemy, and began shouting, “What did you say?! Who the fuck did you call feeble, you ugly bandaged bastard?!”

Sasuke looks mildly horrified, while Kakashi widens his eyes and looks more worried and alarmed, “Naruto!”

While the enemy-nin looks real amused now.

But Naruto is not finished, “I’ll have you know i’m not feeble at all, ya’ bastard! Taste my punch first and _then_ you could talk! Also, disperse this mist, will you?! It’s _so_ damn cold! How the fuck did you survive in this cold with those ugly tank-top anyway?!”

Now Sasuke looks horrified, while Kakashi makes despaired noises and the enemy-nin looks torn between enraged or amused. Naruto is _so_ ready to launch forward and give the bandaged man a taste of his full-powered punch; it might dislodged his shoulder or hand afterwards but this man here needs to get a lesson to not call Naruto Uzumaki ‘feeble’ ever again. Besides, Naruto has been itchy to punch whoever called him feeble since forever. Unfortunately those persons are usually nurses or civilians and _Jiji_ is always there to stop Naruto from punching anyone. But now _Jiji_ isn’t here. And he’s an enemy. So nobody will stop Naruto from doing just that.

Except there is someone who stopped Naruto, in the form of masked-ninja, throwing needles at the man’s neck and lift the man’s body on his shoulder. Then the masked ninja nodded at the now free Kakashi-sensei.

“I’ll be taking this body. Thank you for your help.”

“ _What_?!”

Then Kakashi-sensei nodded back like this is a legit transaction business and the _ninja_ disappeared with (dead?) ugly bandaged’s body.

“ _The hell_?!”

“Naruto, language.”

Naruto makes unintelligent annoyed noises and the mist disappeared completely, allowing the team to continue their mission; to Tazuna’s house they go.

 

* * *

 

The kid has started shouting out of no where and Naruto’s head started to ache as fuck.

So they arrived at Tazuna’s house, listening to the story of this annoying corrupt man (their main enemy, apparently) named Gato, while Naruto’s squirming on his seat to get a better position and try to concentrate on the story at the same time. The story has just finished with Naruto understand about ten percent of it, and he just picked up the drink on the table when the kid enter the room, accusing and yelling that they will die _very_ soon, that they can’t do anything to help anyone, and stormed out of the room.

Leaving Naruto to put back the glass slowly, gritted his teeth, then clenches his fists. Naruto overestimated his control over his emotions as he still somewhat lashed out in reflex, “What the hell’s wrong with that kid, anyway?!”

The combination of his uncontrolled emotions and Sakura’s warning whisper, “Naruto!” makes his head _pulsed_ and Naruto leans back, closed his eyes, count to ten in his mind, and exhaled a long sigh.

“You can’t really blame me, Sakura-chan. That kid’s seriously got stick up his ass i almost sure he’s infected by Sasuke- _teme_ ’s brooding in five seconds.”

“Care to repeat that, _dead-last_?”

“I said—“

“ _Maa, maa_ , it’s not good to fight inside other’s house. And language, Naruto.”

Sasuke grunted in annoyance, while Naruto looks away and grumbling unintelligently.

“Please forgive him,” Tsunami-san said apologetically, then she started telling them about the kid’s—Inari’s father who raised up against Gato and killed in the process.

Naruto isn’t sure if he should be more angry or if he should slap the kid in the face and yell at his face to stop brooding and being pathetic in general. Both options left Naruto with headache for at least one hour but if anything, Naruto is very eager to yell at anyone who got stick up their asses. He just needs the right time, is all.

 

* * *

 

They helped Tazuna build the bridge, much to Naruto’s complains.

It’s not like Naruto doesn’t want to help Tazuna, or that he’s too tired to actually do anything, but he just achieved a comfortable position to sit in the house. Kakashi-sensei has outright forced Naruto to get up and begin helping building the bridge. Naruto made faces at the silver-haired jounin first, but then Kakashi-sensei moved to lift Naruto up in piggyback and the blond finally resigned and gets up himself while yelling in embarrassment mixed with extreme annoyance.

So now Naruto the original is nailing a wood; has been doing so for an hour now, while Naruto the clones are busy from lifting woods and water, to paint things and just mess things up while whining in general. Few clones even tried to suicide earlier, much to Kakashi-sensei’s worry.

“Naruto, stop.”

Said blond scowled, and he’s about to yell at Kakashi-sensei why he has stopped, stop annoying him, and complains about the damp air but all of them disappeared when he sees Kakashi-sensei’s solemn expression.

Naruto frowned, slowly dropped the hammer in his hand and the nail on the other hand, “..what’s wrong, _sensei_?”

“Take off your gloves.”

He blinked owlishly, confused, but reluctantly nodded and takes off his black gloves.

Behind his comfy black gloves, his ten fingers are covered in blood; his own blood, with his nails are mostly crushed and the top of his fingers looked so utterly destroyed it’s gross. Naruto looks up to see a piece of wood in Kakashi-sensei’s hands has blotches of dried blood on them, then he looked at the wood he currently worked on and there’s a red pattern where his fingers are. Naruto doesn’t know when his fingers got crushed accidentally by his hammer but he certainly doesn’t realize that sooner so...

“..Oops?”

Kakashi-sensei sighs. “Sakura,” he called.

Said pink-haired genin quickly trotted to them, “yes, _sensei_?”

“Please help Naruto with his hands,” The silver haired _jounin_ drawled, and gestured to Naruto’s bloody hands, “I’ll do your part of work.”

Sakura looked ready to scowl at the dumbness of dead-last but gasped when she glances at Naruto’s hands. “..okay, _sensei_.” She warily said instead, her inner doctor screaming to quickly clean those injuries and bandage them properly.

Naruto gets half-dragged by Sakura, found himself unable to even whine as Sakura send furious mixed annoyed glances at him and her grip on his hand is so tight Naruto can’t even budge. Sakura started to clean Naruto’s injuries and her previous furious scowl has changed to a more concerned one, like a proper beautiful nurse she is, and Naruto is mostly pleased to see Sakura-chan complained while doing her job wonderfully.

“Why are you so dumb, anyway?! Why can’t you be more like Sasuke?! How did you get accidentally destroy your nails like this?! Seriously, Naruto! Don’t do this again, okay?! Try not to be dumb just. For. A moment. And  be more careful! What are you gonna do without Kakashi-sensei noticed this or without me around?!”

Despite her spicy and painful words, her touch on Naruto’s fingers are surprisingly careful and gentle, and her work is seriously neat. Naruto is grinning like a loon okay, because hearing Sakura complains like all those nurses, means Sakura-chan cares. And Naruto is seriously in joy to realize that.

“Stop grinning like that, _baka_! Do you remember anything i said?!”

Sakura-chan’s ‘love-tap’ on his head makes Naruto grins more, and Sakura scowled to see that. But her pose has relaxed once more; she’s relieved to see Naruto is not in pain at all, but still extremely annoyed because of Naruto’s dumbness anyway.

Unfortunately, the fluffy atmosphere has to be broken by the form of a kid named Inari, stormed inside and scowling fiercely at the two genins.

“Why do you all try so hard anyway? It’s useless. You can never defeat Gato. Go home or die.”

Sakura frowned, while Naruto scowled and looked ready to lunge forward and shake the brooding off of the kid’s body. His bandaged fingers twitched, itchy to punch something—preferably the kid’s face—but Naruto remained in his place. “Why do _you_ not try hard, kid? Do you think your father died protecting you just to have you mope around and do _nothing_?!”

Sakura looked alarmed, “Naruto!”

Inari looked enraged, “You don’t understand anything! What do an outsider like you know?!”

“I fucking know for sure that your brooding results in nothing, shrimp!” Naruto yelled, “You waste your father’s sacrifice, y’know?! He doesn’t want you to brood and mope around like this! He wants you to _fight_ and _try_! But did yo do that?! _Did you_?! _NO_! You don’t because all you do is forgetting his sacrifice and being a pathetic little wimp!”

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP _SHUT UP_!” Inari screamed, tears threateing to flow down from his eyes and stormed out of the room.

Leaving Naruto to sigh; and now his emotions has made his body rigid, the headache also comes with full force. The blond slowly, carefully, laid down on _tatami_ in futile effor to ease his headache. Sakura who turned her head on Naruto, previously scowling and ready to scold him, looked concerned and frowned instead.

“Are.. are you okay, Naruto?”

“My head’s hurt so much i think it’s gonna explode, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura looked annoyed to Naruto exaggerating things, but seeing Naruto closed his eyes and trying to even his breathing makes her thought that maybe it is that hurt.

The pink haired _genin_ reluctantly nodded, murmured, “I’ll tell Kakashi-sensei.”

“Thanks, Sakura-chan.”

 

* * *

 

Turns out thirty minutes of laying down on tatami and try to think nothing helps with his headache.

Naruto’s back to help Tazuna and the others build the bridge for the afternoon, but Kakashi is very eager to not let him get near anything sharp. That’s fine for him, really. Because even if the injury doesn’t hurt, the blood will be difficult to wash and the sticky feeling is uncomfortable. It’s not like he can do much with his bandaged hands; Sakura-chan would kill him if he ruined her handiwork by being the hyperactive _ninja_ he is. Lifing woods is the only thing he could do smoothly so yeah, Naruto does that ‘till evening comes.

Just before the sun sets, Sasuke wandered off to the woods with permission, and curious, Naruto tailed him. In the way, he passed a beautiful woman picking... grass? And she smiled at her, so Naruto smiled and waved back. He’s actually curious and wants to talk to her but... he never fancy the feeling of grass itching his skin so nah.

Deep in the forest, the bastard actually training climbing tree and even though Naruto is a bit more skilled on chakra control thanks to his _Jiji_ , but he’s _not_ going to get the duck-butt surpass him. So climb the trees they do until dinner comes.

Dinner surprisingly smooth with Inari avoids Naruto like a plague and Naruto ignores the kid’s glare for the favor of enjoying his warm meal. Tsunami-san really knows how to cook, and Naruto is happy with that. Little did he know Kakashi also sighed in relief when his blond student doesn’t complain at all about the meals served.

After that though, Naruto blearily takes a bath (still grumbling to the cold water) then just drop down on his futon, fast-asleep. Courtesy of his ill body.

The morning comes fast with Inari somewhat looked at him with less hostile and more annoyed. Why, Naruto doesn’t understand. Breakfast come and Tsunami-san said Inari comes to his room at night, maybe trying to apologize, but Naruto has already asleep and Kakashi-sensei is against anyone, repeat _anyone_ , to disturb the blond’s sleep. Naruto glanced at his silver-haired _sensei_ reading his cursed orange book; cautious if he told anyone about the illness. Said _sensei_ eye-smiled him, clearly means ‘no, don't worry’ and Naruto could only sheepishly grins while rubbing his nape when his two teammates stare at him curiously. Sasuke though, more like suspiciously.

They are about to help Tazuna build the bridge again when suddenly, a thick mist appeared and sound of clanging metals fills the clearing. Sasuke-teme is on guard beside him and Sakura-chan’s standing in front of the old man, holding a _kunai_ in a death-grip. Good thing Naruto already has his scarf on.

Both genins rushed forward to the sound of metals, but stopped when the air whistle and _kunai_ passed in front of them. Looking to the side, it’s that masked ninja again. Naruto pointed accusingly at him (her?), “ _You_!”

“Me,”

“You lied!”

Sasuke almost rolls in eyes as if saying ‘obvious, duh’ but he lunged forward with his fancy Uchiha-style taijutsu, Naruto helps with his clones because  it’s so fucking cold and his bandaged hands feels so cold and damp he wanted to just yell and throws tantrums at everyone. But his life is more important than the cold intimidating air so Naruto waste most of the time to grit his teeth, flex his fingers, and tightens his scarf.

Naruto feels some things prickling his neck and his back, Sasuke meanwhile grunted in pain, trying hard not to fell down. Naruto stares dumbfounded at him, and Sasuke looks back with anger and confusion. Then Naruto looks at Sasuke’s back and blinked.

“Oh,” he weakly said, that must be the cause of prickling cold sensations. But, he frowned, “that was supposed to hurt?”

But that’s just.. needles! Weapons of.. he doesn’t know, old grandmas who loves to make warm scarf of wool?

The confusion on Naruto’s face makes Sasuke more confused then more angry somehow. Little did Naruto knows the masked enemy also looks at him with dumbfounded expression.

“Well,” Naruto said, looked at few senbons stabbed his hand, “Ow.”

.....That sounds so fake and cringe-worthy he understands why Sasuke makes strangled noises at his poor claim of pain.

But then the mirror-ice dome appeared. With the masked-nin floating ( _floating_!) inside the mirrors. While introducing himself, nonetheless!

Naruto shivered, because it’s so damn cold and Sasuke’s flashy _Gokakyuu_ doesn’t help at all. The blond will mocks the raven-haired if only the situation is not so dire. His movements are rather sluggish because of the cold; it’s basically _freezing_ for Naruto, causing his timing to be mostly off.

You can’t exactly blame Naruto for not quickly dodge that senbons raining on him, really. He has fair share of senbons on his body already. More senbons and beatings on his body even, because Naruto Uzumaki is just reckless like that. But the senbons caused the feeling of cold steel prickling on his skin. They don’t hurt, per say. Senbons are child’s play to hurt Naruto. But they are annoying. And cold. It’s _very_ irritating.

Then suddenly Sasuke decided it’s a good time being a less-teme and goes martyr himself; throws Naruto out of line of freezing senbon and takes the damage head on. He kneels in pain soon after, of course.

Naruto is furious.

“What the hell, _teme_?! What did you do?! _Why did you do that_?!”

Actually, he’s more like panics because even if Sasuke is a bastard, he is a normal human. A normal, healthy human without demonic chakra flowing on his body to mess up his pain senses like a certain someone. He can very much feel the pain of senbons all over his body. Naruto rushed to Sasuke, holding him to sit down still.

“Wait! Why are your eyes red?! Did you get senbons on your eyes?! God damn tell me you _didn’t_!”

You can blame his brains who caused his attention-span to be so short.

Sasuke looked to Naruto, and frowned in... confusion? Anger? _Jealousy_? Those emotions are no strangers to Naruto, he could recognize them in an instant as he often saw them stare back at him on hospital’s mirror. But why would Sasuke got jealous? Did he joust got jealous to _him_? Him, the ill cursed, hated demon kid? That's just plain ridiculous.

“Why—“ Sasuke choked out, “—how.. are you... still... standing..?”

Naruto makes a face, “Really, _teme_? _Really_? That’s what you’re concerned about? Why am i still standing? Why, obviously because i _don’t go martyr myself_ _on the line of fire_! Or line of senbons, whatever.” He begins to lift said bastard’s body up and put him on sidelines, how Haku got amused that he stopped the assault got ignored. “Why are you so stupid, anyway?! I thought you are smarter than this! You’re causing me headache, dammit! And this cold, this fucking cold ice mirrors! After all of this done I’m going to throw a fit i’ll make Kakashi-sensei’s ears bleed!”

Sasuke seems to be losing consciousness fast, and with him on sidelines, Naruto pointed at the enemy with his now clawed-fingers. His head ache, the cold is killing him, and he is angry to Sasuke, to Kakashi-sensei, to the annoying senbons, to Haku, to the world in general. He’s frustrated, too. And tired. He wants all of this done and _fast_.

Naruto feels himself sink a bit deeper in the red chakra inside him, feeling them rushing his senses, feeling his anger took over him a little bit more, to tune out the headache.

“Haku, right?”

His vision started to turn murky red and red chakra flare around him; he noted with glee that Haku has stopped floating and his body rigid with surprise. He pulled down the scarf covering half of his face with a clawed index finger; silently wonders how he look like now, all grinning with torn bandages on his hands and clawed red fingers.

“I’d ask you to turn off the mist, get back the temperature to normal, but you just _wouldn’t fucking listen_. You don’t understand the freezing cold air, the annoying senbons all over your body, and the rush of headache now, would you?! Damn normal bodies! Fine then, I’ll play by _your rules_ now!”

Naruto lunged forward to the mirror where Haku is floating, hands clenches to a fist and he _punched_ the mirror with all his might; demonic chakra powered punch. He might hear something pop on his shoulder; probably his shoulder got dislodged, but the crunch of mirror shattered under his fist makes him forget about that. He continued his assault, and soon it looks more like cat and mouse with Haku avoids Naruto at all costs; said blonde pursues him with vigor, breaking mirrors and (his own) bones on the process.

Haku looks horrified with the grinning blond; blood-shot red slitted eyes, long fangs on his teeth, blood red clawed fingers, and those limbs, oh _those limbs_ , they’re not supposed to bent _that_ way. The worst part is, not even his senbons could hurt or stop the blond anymore. Every time the blond with got closer and closer, and every time that happens he will launch attacks worthy to create cracks and crater on rock. Haku has learned it the first time he got that punch in his abdomen, but still, he can’t help himself to not lose his focus in fear, and he split second in fear is enough for Naruto to reach him, and once again ignoring his broken limb by flung them up and punched Haku in the face.

The white mask broke at the same time Haku flung back and slammed to tree bark. Naruto lets out a victory cry, and dropped on the ground.

With his objective has fulfilled, the red chakra disappeared, and Naruto whimpers to feel fatigue and headache and cold air comes full force on his poor body. Naruto doesn’t know what happened after that as he closed his eyes. He somewhat saw someone runs, sound of chirping bird, and more commotion—Naruto doesn’t understand what happened and frankly? He doesn’t care. If Sasuke- _teme_ could got unconscious in the middle of mission and Naruto is sure as hell he can, too.

Naruto remembers Kakashi-sensei’s surprised yet horrified face looked down on him at some time, though. He tired to move, but he hears that familiar creak of broken bones which he doesn’t know from which part of his body did that come from.

Naruto frowned. “My bones....” he whispered, “they _creaked_ , _sensei_.” A pause, “I _hate_ creaking bones.” He whined.

The last thing he remembers is the amused yet exasperated glint in Kakashi-sensei’s lone eye.

 

* * *

 

Naruto woke up to the familiar white ceiling of his private room in Konoha Hospital, and he can’t feel his body.

He panics. Because some.. things, like bandages and woods holding his body but he can’t feel if his hands and legs are there. He began to trash around but stopped; because his Jiji never likes it if Naruto thrash around things. Naruto exhaled a long breath to calm himself down and he glances around to see a... lump?

Naruto blinks to clear his vision. Wait no that’s not a lump... that’s a... kid? Sitting down beside his hospital bed and his head in his hands on the white bed, fast asleep. Then he glanced at a window; to almost got a heart attack to the sudden appearance of his silver-haired teacher.

“Yo,” he said, eye-smiled him.

The blond opens his mouth to, 1) throws tantrums, 2) demand explanations of what the fuck happened, 3) where are his gloves and clothes, 4) close off the damn window it’s so fucking cold!, 5) who the fuck is that shrimp. But his throat feels so dry all he could do is groan.

Kakashi-sensei realized what Naruto wants to say, and he looks more smug and pleased to know that Naruto can’t make Kakashi’s ears bleed with his whining. Not now, at least. Fortunately Kakashi still has the grace of being his _sensei_ so he helped Naruto drinks a glass of water.

Naruto opens his mouth once again to do one of those five things mentioned earlier, but then the lump moved, and the kid looks up with a relieved expression.

“Inari?!” He choked out, clearly surprised, “Why are you here? What are you doing here? Wait, don’t tell me my mission failed so you have to move to Konoha!”

Kakashi looks amused, while Naruto looks horrified to see Inari began crying.

“H-hey...” He started, “It’s okay, y’know... I’m sorry for... failing the mission.” Then swallowed because Inari hasn’t stopped crying, the bitter taste of him and his team failing the mission and his head started to ache, oh God what even, “..are you okay, Inari? How about the old man and your mother?”

But then Inari shakes his head, “—Thank you.”

One second, five seconds. “What.” Naruto looks dumbfounded.

Inari wipes his tears away, “Everyone’s ‘kay,” he said more calmly, “’m fine, bridge’s finished. Everyone’s fine.”

Naruto blink, still dumbfounded. His mission’s not failed, then..? That’s a relief but...  “....then why are you here?”

Inari looks down, “‘m ‘ied.”

“What.”

“I’m worried, damn it!” Inari yelled, “i’m worried if you died for me—like, like my father! If i was late! If you—“

Inari has started crying again and Naruto is very _very_ confused, he glanced at Kakashi-sensei to ask for help but the damn sensei has disappeared to God knows where. He’s never good to comfort children okay, Konohamaru is an anomaly since that kid only follows him everywhere because he dubbed Naruto as ‘ _Jiji_ -stealer.’

So Naruto shrugged, and does the thing he’s good at, that is to say, grins, laughs, and shrugs every worry off. “Come on, Inari! It’s not that bad, y’know! Just few broken bones, no biggie for a great ninja like me! Besides, i can’t die before i become Hokage, y’know!”

Inari looks relieved, and soon he grinned too. Now that Inari is not a mean and kinda jerk like before, he’s actually a really good talking partner, they tease around while Naruto fills on what happened after he passed out. Kakashi-sensei helped Naruto on details after Inari got picked up by Tazuna.

“Thank you,” Tazuna-san says, and Inari waved to Naruto with widest grins he ever saw, “come visit us if you have time, Naruto-nii!”

So the bandaged man—Zabuza, got very angry to see Haku got thrashed, resulting to him avoided Kakashi-sensei’s chidori to cause heavy injury. Then Gato the pig come, with army of thugs aiming to kill everyone. That means also Zabuza and Haku. Zabuza feels extremely betrayed he forgot about revenging Haku and rushed to Gato instead. In the middle of killing spree, Haku woke up again and saved Zabuza from a sword stab... by taking it to his own heart.  In the end, Zabuza also died due to blood loss after killing Gato.

Then Kakashi-sensei in his panicked state has picked up Naruto and straight up run back to Konoha. More specifically, to the Hospital. He left a shadow clone for Sakura and Sasuke, and when they went back, Inari insist to tag along. Naruto has been unconscious for a day, now. Turns out both his shoulders got dislodged, his fingers's bones are mostly cracked, his hands and feet's broke, and all his wounds by senbons are bleeding profusely. Not to mention the amount of poison. Naruto is not looking up to meet his Jiji who, will most likely disappointed by his reckless act. Kakashi-sensei's sigh and disappointed look as he remind Naruto of his 'promise' is enough, please.

Anyway Tazuna is scheduled to pick up Inari today and they went back with Kakashi-sensei’s shadow clone as escort.

That is too much to process for Naruto’s ill mind, but he counts everything is okay, and the fact that the bridge named ‘The Great Naruto Bridge’ on insistence of Inari makes him very pleased. That’s enough for him now, and Naruto peacefully sinks back to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Eh i should probably finish other multi-chap fics than make one but i can't resist bitter Naruto who complains a lot. 
> 
> Will be collection of drabbles that could finish anytime i want :")
> 
> This is kind of my first time posting english work on ffn. I usually post them on AO3 so maybe i'll crosspost this one.
> 
> Anw hello guys, so the idea of Naruto has fibromyalgia, which should make him very sensitive to pain and other things, easily gets tired, easily gets headache and muscle spasm. But due to his (not so) kind tenant who is so done with his clumsy ill jail, he gave his demonic chakra to dull every pain nerves in Naruto's body. This also makes him feel numb from inside, like when you run for the first time in long time you can't feel your leg after. But other than that, Naruto still gets headache daily (when he's angry, frustrated, studying) and gets easily tired but due to Uzumaki vitality, his stamina dropped to average instead. And he complains. A lot.
> 
> I apologize for i don't know the real victims of fibro, pleasedon'tbeangrywithme, but i'm sure whoever it is has great patience and great motivation to continue living so you guys rock!
> 
> Lastly, thank you for reading!


End file.
